Sunday, 7 April

NORWEGIAN CAMPAIGN

The German invasion of Norway, WESERUBUNG (Exercise Weser), was originally set for 20 March. However, like British operations, various delays postponed the operations and the invasion was finally set for 9 April.

————

GERMAN NAVAL MOVEMENTS

German naval forces for the Narvik and Trondheim occupations put to sea at midnight on the 7th. The Narvik group was composed of destroyers WILHELM HEIDKAMP (Flagship Commodore Bonte), GEORG THIELE (Leader of 1st Destroyer Flotilla) of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla, HANS LUDEMAN (Leader of 3rd Destroyer Flotilla), HERMANN KUNNE, ANTON SCHMIDT, DIETHER VON ROEDER of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, WOLFGANG ZENKER (Leader of 4th Destroyer Flotilla), BERND VON ARNIM, ERICH KOELLNER and ERICH GIESE of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla, each destroyer carrying 200 troops of the 139th Gebirgsjager Regiment (mountain troops), departed Wesermunde at the mouth of the River Weser at 0000/7 April. Additionally, destroyer RICHARD BEITZEN of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla was in the Weser as a reserve destroyer for this force, but was not required.

The Trondheim Group was composed of heavy cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER and destroyers PAUL JACOBI (Leader of 2nd Destroyer Flotilla), THEODOR RIEDEL and BRUNO HEINEMANN of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla and FRIEDRICH ECKHOLDT of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla carrying troops of the 138th Gebirgsjager Regiment. This group departed Cuxhaven at 0000/7 April. Two destroyers of the Trondheim force were designated to remain at Trondheim after the landings for harbour defense duties. The Narvik Group and the Trondheim Group rendezvoused in Schillig Roads and proceeded north in company. At 0200 southwest of Heligoland, these destroyer groups joined German battleships SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU under Admiral Lutjens which departed Wilhelmshaven early on the 7th.

————

At 0848 and 1342, Allied aircraft reported German naval forces east of the German declared minefield steering northwest. The force was later identified as one battlecruiser, one pocket battleship, three LEIPZIG class cruisers, twelve destroyers. This set British Home Fleet operations in motion.

————

HOME FLEET OPERATIONS

Admiral Forbes (C-in-C Home Fleet) in battleship RODNEY with VALIANT, battlecruiser REPULSE, light cruisers SHEFFIELD, PENELOPE, French EMILE BERTIN, destroyers ESKIMO, PUNJABI, BEDOUIN, KIMBERLEY, JUPITER, CODRINGTON (D.1), GRIFFIN, BRAZEN, ESCAPADE and ELECTRA departed Scapa Flow at 2015/7th. Destroyers TARTAR, SOMALI (D.6), MATABELE and MASHONA, which had departed Rosyth on the 7th at 2330, joined Forbes at sea. Forbes proceeded with his fleet to cover the minelaying operations soon to commence off the Norwegian coast. French cruiser EMILE BERTIN lost touch with the Fleet and returned to Scapa Flow arriving at 0800/8th.

————

ALLIED TROOP-LANDING PLANS

In conjunction with the minelaying of operation WILFRED, troops were to be landed at Stavanger, Trondheim, Bergen, Narvik under operation AVONMOUTH (plan R.4). These troops were already embarked in British naval vessels. At Rosyth were heavy cruisers DEVONSHIRE, BERWICK and YORK of the 1st Cruiser Squadron and light cruiser GLASGOW, which had just completed refitting, of the 18th Cruiser Squadron each with 90 tons of stores in addition to the troops embarked. These cruisers were to land troops at Stavanger and Bergen but only if it became apparent that Germany intended to violate Norwegian territory. Destroyers AFRIDI, GURKHA, SIKH, MOHAWK, ZULU and COSSACK of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla were at Rosyth to escort these cruisers. In the Clyde were troopships CHROBRY (11,442grt/总吨位) and BATORY (14,287grt/总吨位) with troops to be landed at Trondheim and Narvik to be escorted by light cruiser AURORA and destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESTER and FORTUNE which arrived at the Clyde on the 3rd, destroyers DELIGHT, ASHANTI and FOXHOUND, which arrived at the Clyde on the 5th, destroyer MAORI which completed repairs at the Clyde on the 3rd.

————

OTHER ALLIED NAVY MOVEMENTS

Additionally at Rosyth were light cruisers GALATEA and ARETHUSA. Convoy HN.24 had just arrived at Rosyth with destroyers SOMALI, MATABELE, MASHONA and TARTAR. The destroyers immediately put back out and joined Adm Forbes at sea. Convoy ON.25, which had put to sea on the 5th, was recalled at 1851 on the 7th and her escort of light cruisers MANCHESTER, SOUTHAMPTON, anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA, and destroyers JANUS, JUNO, JAVELIN, ECLIPSE and GRENADE were ordered to Scapa Flow. Convoy ON.25 was at that time in 61-20N, 1E. The convoy was ordered to reverse course and remain west of the Shetland Islands until further notice. CALCUTTA arrived at Sullom Voe and GRENADE at Scapa Flow at 1230/9th for refuelling. Destroyers JANUS, JUNO, JAVELIN and GRENADE were reassigned en route, but later arrived at Scapa Flow at 1820/9th for refuelling.

French light cruiser EMILE BERTIN and destroyers MAILLE BREZE and TARTU arrived off Scapa Flow at 1700/7th for operations with the Home Fleet. The light cruiser was met outside Hoxa Sound and was lead into harbour by destroyer JUPITER.

Light cruiser BIRMINGHAM on patrol since 31 March was ordered to join the RENOWN group off Vestfjord. However, in heavy weather, she was unable to make the rendezvous and later arrived at Scapa Flow on the 11th after refuelling at Sullom Voe on the 10th. Destroyer FEARLESS of the group had been detached for refuelling after the capture of German trawler BLANKENBURG on the 5th, proceeded to Sullom Voe and departed after refuelling on the 7th. On the 7th, destroyer FEARLESS captured German auxiliary patrol boat Vp.411 (trawler NORDLAND, 392grt/总吨位) in the North Sea, proceeded with her to Sullom Voe, arriving on the 10th, and went on to Kirkwall the next day arriving on the 11th. Destroyer HOSTILE of this group had been detached to escort trawler FRIESLAND to Scapa Flow and later joined the British forces off Vestfjord.

Light cruisers ARETHUSA and GALATEA (CS.2) departed Rosyth at 2130 with destroyers AFRIDI (D.4), GURKHA, SIKH, MOHAWK, ZULU, COSSACK, KELVIN and KASHMIR, plus Polish destroyers GROM, BURZA and BLYSKAWICA, sailed for a position 80 miles west of Stavanger to arrive at 1700/8th from whence they would sweep north.

Destroyers ESCAPADE and ELECTRA departed Scapa Flow at 1030 to escort base ship MANCHESTER CITY to Kirkwall. The ships safely arrived at 1415 and the destroyers returned to Scapa Flow.

————

Minelayer TEVIOTBANK was recalled at 2251 on the 7th before the WS minelay was accomplished. She was ordered to cancel the minelaying and steer to the northwest. Minelayer TEVIOTBANK arrived at Sullom Voe at 1100/9th. Destroyers INGLEFIELD, ILEX, IMOGEN and ISIS arrived at Sullom Voe at 0830/9th. The destroyers were placed at the disposal of Admiral Forbes. The four I-class destroyers, HERO and HYPERION, after refuelling, departed Sullom Voe at 0300/10th and joined Forbes at 1100/10th.

————

Steamer ULSTER MONARCH (3791grt/总吨位) reported sighting a U-boat 37 miles NE of Cape Barfleur, . Destroyers WILD SWAN escorting convoy OA.124 and WINDSOR escorting convoy SL25A were detached to investigate.

————

Estonian steamer MARE (1217grt/总吨位) was seized by German forces, and renamed BUG for German use. The Estonian crew was returned to Estonia via Stockholm.

————

Convoy BC.33 six steamers, including ATLANTIC COAST, BATNA, BRITISH COAST, CITY OF LANCASTER and MARSLEW (Commodore) departed Bristol Channel escorted by destroyer MONTROSE. The convoy arrived at Loire on the 9th.

————

Convoy FN.140 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers VEGA and WOOLSTON, and arrived in the Tyne on the 9th.

————

Convoy MT.46 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer VIMIERA, sloop BLACK SWAN and anti-submarine trawlers of the 23rd Anti-Submarine Group, and arrived later that day.

————

Convoy TM.40 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer VIVIEN, sloop PELICAN and anti-submarine trawlers of the 1st Anti-Submarine Group, and joined convoy FN.139 at daylight on the 8th.

————

Convoy FS.140 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer VIMIERA and sloop BLACK SWAN, and arrived at Southend on the 9th.

————

Convoy SL.27 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant cruiser MOOLTON until the 21st, when sloop FOLKESTONE and destroyer VENETIA joined the escort. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 24th.